Game



June 2, 1936. w. J. EMMERICH GAME 4 Sheena-shane@ 1 Filed Feb. 18, 1935 '4- ATTORNEY.

June 2, 1936.

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June 2, 1936. A w. J. EMMERICH 2,042,930

GAME

Filed Feb. 18, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jime 2, 1936. w J, EMMER|H 2,042,930

GAME

Filed Feb. 18, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 cui ,n

MalavA Enne/Trou A13 Ri YA NOLLVOIIGB Euucrrlou ATTORNEY.

Patented June 2,

UNITED' STATES PATENT OFFICE GAME William J. Emmerich, Baltimore, Md., assignor A Vof one-half to Marguu'ite K. Emmerich, Biohmonti, Va.

The purpose of the game is to entertain and amuse and at the same time to promote interest in and knowledge of radio broadcasting and knowledge of the identity, customs and characteristics of various individual broadcasting stations.

While cards are used, the various insignia which are shown as appearing on the cards may be produced on other mediums or members suitable to this purpose. A

The game as described and shown is played with cards which are preferably of four diiferent colors, there being in the form shown twentysix cards of each color, the cards of each color comprising a series, so that there is one card or each color for each letter of the alphabet, the pack in the form disclosed consists of four series comprising in all one hundred and four cards, the number of cards and number of series being subject to variation for example by duplicating or omitting some letters. The colors also may be varied. It is of particular interest that each card is marked on the back with the color which it bears on its face or some indication thereof.

While the radio game is described to show the utility of the cards, various other games may be played with them.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a pack of cards embodying the feature of the invention in the form to be disclosed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows the faces of a series of green cards which in the game described are identified with the Columbia Broadcasting System.

Figure 2 shows the backs of these cards which are uniform.

Figure 3 shows the faces of a series of red cards f which in the game described are identiiled with the National WEAF Broadcasting Systems.

Figure 4 shows the backs of these cards winch are uniform.

Figure 5 shows the faces of a series' of orange cards which in the game to be described are identied with the American Broadcasting Systems.

Figure 6 shows the backs of these cards which are uniform.

Figure 7 shows the faces oi a series of blue cards which in the game to be described are identled with the National WJZ Broadcasting Chain.

Figure 8 shows the backs of these cards which are uniform. f

Referring to the drawings by numerals, the cards of the green series, Figure 1, are indicated by reference character I, the representations of the faces of the different cards being specially indicated by reference characters IA, IB, and IC and so on, respectively through the alphabet, each card in order bearing the corresponding 5 letter of the alphabet from A to Z in large type as indicated by reference character 2 and preferably duplicated, each pair of letters being, one upright at 2 and the other inverted at 2', so as to be easily read in either position of the cards. 10 As shown, each letter is in a circle 3' which is otherwise blank, the circles containing the letters being located in a parallelogram extending from near the top to a point near the bottom of the card and the sides of the parallelogram' being l5- preferably parallel to the corresponding sides of the cards, leaving a margin 8 at each side, the parallelogram indicated by reference character 3 and so much of it as is outside of the circles 3' containing the letters is colored, the colors being indicated in accordance with the symbols contained in the Patent Oiilce chart provided for this purpose. In this instance, i. e., in Figure 1, the parallelogram is green.

The faces of the cards in the position shown z5 bear at the upper left and the lower right hand corner in said margin at l and II' in relatively small type, the letter of the alphabet by which the card is designated, as already pointed out,

i. e., the card having the large A at the center has the letter A in small type at the upper left hand corner in the margin, and at the lower right hand corner in the margin, the latter small letter being inverted. Immediately below the letter at the upper left hand corner is the designation of the number of points represented by the card and directly above the small type letter at the lower right hand corner, and inverted in the position shown is the same number.

The card K in each series represents the highest number of points and is marked KK at the center in large type at 2, 2'. This card bears the letter K in small type in the upper left and lower right hand corners at 6, 4'. Beneath the small K in the upper left hand corner and above the small K in the lower right hand corner and in inverted position is the number 25, which is the number of points represented by this card.

The card W which is similar as to the location of the letters to those already described, also carries the marking 25 at 4 in the upper left hand corner beneath the small type W and at the lower right hand corner. Where comparison of values between the K and W cards is necessary, the K card, according to the rules of the game. takes precedence and is controlling, but both the cards otherwise count twenty-five points,

The card A represents twenty-four points and is marked in the upper left hand corner beneath the small type A with the numeral 24 at 6, and inthe lower right hand corner it also bears the numeral 24 in inverted position above the small type A at 8'. The remainder of the cards from B to Z, with the exception of cards K and W, are rated 23 -down to 1, in the order in which they occur in the alphabet, and as designated on the drawings.

Figure 2 shows at-I the back of all of the cards in this series, the same being uniform and the back beingshown as marked in the center with a diamond indicated by reference character I and produced in the Patent Oflice number symbol or shading which indicates the color, in this instance, green, the backs of all of the cards being thus colored in correspondence with the color of the face.

The cards are further marked, each of them, referring to them in the position shown, in the margin 8 in the upper right and lower left hand corner, part of them with stars 9 and part of them with other symbols to be further described. The cards not marked with the stars bear at each side in the margin 8 at the center, a word indicating'the nature of a radio program. The cards bearing stars in the corner are known as star cards, the stars being indicated by reference character 9. The words are` Variety, Musical, Education and Playlet indicated by I0.

Referring to the set of cards I, cards C, K and S are marked Variety at this point I0, cards D, L and T are marked Education, cards G, O and W are marked Musical, cards H, P and X are marked Playlet, according to the type of entertainment which they represent. Some of the word cards, i. e., those not marked with stars and bearing the words as above outlined bear at the lower left and upper right hand corners in the areas II a symbol. The cards G, O and W have a G clef. These are the musical cards. Cards C, K and S bear in this corner in the area II a portion of a human face and a small fragment of musical stair with tjwo notes. These are the Variety cards. The cards D, L and T, the Education cards, are marked in this area with the illustration of a book. The playlet cards H, P and X are marked in this corner withv a sheet of paper or parchment rolled at each end and a quill. As aforesaid, the star cards in the form of the game 'shown are blank as to the middle portion of the panels 8 between the corner markings.

The card A has one star in each corner. The card B has two stars in each corner. The card E has three and the card F has four. The card I has one star, the card J two stars, the card M three stars, the card N four stars, and the card Q one star, the card R has two stars, the card U has three stars in each corner and the card V has four stars in each corner, the card Y has one star, and the card Z has two stars. The stars are indicated by reference character 9, the set of cards being particularly described being the set of green cards indicated by reference character I.

According to the scheme of the game the cards of each color are marked, part of them, with words and part of them with stars, the word cards being as aforesaid Variety, Musical, Education and Playlet, approximately half the cards of each color are marked with stars and the other half with words. Ordinarily there are fourteen of one and twelve of the other.

Assuming, as herein illustrated, that of the green series No. 1, there are fourteen star cards and twelve word cards, the fourteen star cards include four cards having one star, i. e., A, I, Q and Y, four cards having two stars, i. e., B, J, R and Z, and three cards, E, M and U having three stars and three cards F, N and V, having four stars. Under these circumstances, there being twentysix 4cards in each series, there are twelve cards bearing the words Variety, Education, Musical and Playlet. The cards C, K and S being Variety cards, the cards D, L and T being Education cards, cards G, O and W being musical cards and cards H, P and X being Playlet cards, as already outlined. Y

This division of cards is merely for example. Because of the fact that the number 26 representing the number of letters in the alphabet is not divisible by four, the cards can not be evenly divided under each color, but they are divided as evenly as possible with the variations indicated,

the total of 104 cards' in the pack being evenly divided between the different numbers of stars K and W, however, being treated as special and,

each bearing the number 25, K being where the two cards K and W are in competition, treated as the highest and the other cards being rated inversely in accordance with their number from the beginning of the alphabet to the end, the highest number 24 being A and the lowest number 1, being Z, and the cards being as aforesaid marked on the back with the same color or indication thereof.

Figure 3 shows a series of red cards which are treated in this game as representing the National Chain WEAF or any suitable chain, the cards of this set being indicated in a general way by reference character I2. The faces `of the cards are shown in Figure 3 and the back of the cards being identical as shown in Figure 4. The cards of this series at the back hereof are marked in the center with a diamond I4' which in this instance is shaded in accordance with the Patent Oiice symbol of .the color red. Also, each card of the series on its face is marked with a parallelogram at the center indicated by reference character I4. The shading of this parallelogram except for the circles I5 bearing the letters of the alphabet as already described is symbolic of the color red.

The markings of these cards and the cards of all the series except for the color are substantially identical with the markings of the set of the green cards No. l, there being, however, in this instance twelve star cards and fourteen word cards. The cards G', O' and W' bear one star. The cards H' P' and X' bear two stars. The cards C', K and S bear three stars, cards D', L and T' bear four stars, the stars being yin the corners at 9'. 'Ihe remaining fourteen cards are marked Educational, Variety, Musical and Playlet in the panel 8. The cards A', I', Q and Y' are marked yVariety withy symbols in the upper right and lower left hand corner, the symbols being similar to those of the Variety cards of set 1, i. e., the green cards. The cards B', J', R' and Z' are marked Education with the book symbol in the upper left hand corners. Cards E', M' and U are marked Musical in the panels 8, bearing the G clef in the upper right and lower leit hand corners, the cards F', N' and V are marked Playlet in panel 8' bearing the roll and quill in the upper right and lower left hand corners. The number values of this series and the remaining series are identical with those of the rst series as to the same letter.

The markings in the upper right and lower left hand corners are identical with the corresponding letter cards of the previous series except in the rst series there are fourteen star cards and twelve word cards, and in the second series there are twelve star cards and fourteen word cards, the second series being indicated by reference character I2.

The cards of the' third series indicated by reference character I 6, Figure 5, are similar to the cards of the previous series except that they are colored orange and the center panels I'I are shaded with the Patent Omce shading symbol corresponding to the color orange and in this panel as in the previous instance are circles I8 containing the letters of the alphabet which are the conspicuous markingof each card. 'Ihe backs of the cards of the set, Figure 6, bear a diamond I4 shaded to indicate orange color. In this instance there are twelve star cards and fourteen word cards as in the red or second series indicated by reference characterIZ, and except for the color the markings of the orange cards A", B", etc. are substantially similar to the markings of the red cards, i. e., of the series second described. The backs of these cards, Figure 4, are marked with a red diamond I4.

The cards of the fourth series, indicated in a Vgeneral way by reference character I9, Figure 7,

Kdistributed as in the series bearing reference character I and colored green, the twelve word cards being marked Musical, Playlet, Variety, and Education in panels 8. The cards C'", K'", and S", being Musical and cards D'", L' and T" being Playlet, and cards G'", 0"', and W'" being Variety, the cards, H'", P"' and X'" being Education, land the remaining markings being substantially identical with those of the previous sets of cards. The back of each card of this set is marked with the color of this set which is blue, the back of the cards, Figure 8, bearing a diamond I4 shaded in accordance with the Patent Omce symbol blue, and the cards of the series bearing, each on its face a parallelogram 20 of blue similarly shaded, having within it blank circles or similar figures 2l containing in large type the letters by which the cards are designated, the letters and values of the cards appearing in-the upper left hand and lower right hand corners at 2I as in the previous instance, the stars and other symbols being in the upper right or lower left hand corners at 22 as in previous instances.

While cards only have been shown, the insignia on the cards including the colors, etc. may be placed on other mediums adapted to be moved and used in a way suitable to the playing of any of the games which can be played with these cards.

In the playing of the radio game which is one of several games which may be played with these cards, the cards are dealt in any suitable manner as in bridge, i. e., one at a time, or they may `be dealt in threes followed by a single card, assuming that there are four players, thirteen cards not necessarily the same chain.

being dealt to each player under these circumstances. The dealer then deals the remaining cards in o rder in four packs which are placed with the cards face down, one in front of each player, the cards being spaced radially so that o the back color designs show.

The trump chain or color is then determined by bidding or cutting. The player making the trump then plays from one to four cards, placing them face down in front of him on the table and mak- -lo ing no declaration. Each player plays the same number of cards as does the flrst player, but these are not necessarily of the same chain as those played by the dealer, unless the iirst play is of a single card under which circumstances each 15 player must follow suit if he can. Where more than one card is played and the cards are of all chains, the others must play a single chain but If a player does not have enough cards of one chain to follow suit, he may play any combination of the same number of cards he sees fit.

The cards are rated by the numbers which they bear and lthe highest total number in one trick played by one player wins and takes all the cards 25 played in that trick provided cards of the player whose cards have a total of the highest rating conform to the letters of a station or stations in the chain played. 'Ihe stations of trump chains are highestand the highest count trump sta- 30 tion in any trick wins. If there is no station in the chain played which conforms to the letters of the highest combination played, the player of that combination loses and the trick goes to the next highest combination, trump stations win- 35 ning over stations of other chains. chains other than trumps being equal in counting. All sta` tions are played from memory and a bid winner who fails to score the number of points bid is penalized that number of points. After each 40 trick is played each player takes from the pack in front of him the number of cards played till the cards are exhausted. Should the value oi' two stations in one trick be the same, each player is credited with the 4:5l

count unless one station contains a K or a W, in which case the station containing the K wins,-or in the absence of a K, the station containing a W wins, the K being higher than W.

Another game known as Radiyo Advanced is 50 started in the same manner as above and the same rules are applied except that each player endeavors to build during the playing of each hand one of the following combinations: Chain Key Station, 'Irump Key Station, Chain Broad- 55 cast, 'Irump Broadcast. For thisl purpose a separate index of key stations is used. A chain key station is any station listed in the key station index in which each letter is in the color of that particular chain. A trump key station consists of 60 any station listed in the key station index which is complete with each letter in the trump color.

A chain broadcast is comprised of a chain key station and in addition one card with a number of stars, each properly designating the nature of the program and another card containing one of the words, Variety, Musical, Education or Playlet, which properly designates the class of program being broadcast on that particular chain in the time noted on the score card. In this combination every card must be of the same color.

I have thus described specifically and in detail aset of cards or other movable members bearing insignia for the purposes of a game in accordance with my invention, the description being specific and in detail, in order that the manner of constructing, operating, Vapplying and using the invention may be fully understood, however, the specic terms herein are used in a descriptive rather than ln a limiting sense, the scope of the invention being deiined in the claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A set of playing members including a plurality of series of members, each series comprising a number of members. each, bearing a diierent letter of the alphabet conspicuously produced thereon, and a number approximately corresponding to the inverse order of the position in the alphabet of the letter borne by said member the members of each series bearing similarly colored identication marks on the front and on the back, the separate series being distinguished by different colors.

2. A set of playing members including a plurality of series of members, each series comprising a number of members, each bearing a different letter of the alphabet conspicuously produced thereon, the members of each'series bearing identiication marks on the front and on the back, approximately half of the members of each series also bearing arbitrary design gures and approximately the other half of said members of each series bearing word symbols.

3. A set of playing members including a plurality of series of members, each series comprising a number of members, each bearing La different letter of the alphabet conspicuously produced thereon, and a number approximately corresponding to the inverse order of the position in the alphabet of the letter borne by said member, the members of each series bearing similarly colored identification marks on the front and on the back, the separate series being distinguished by dierent colors, a. small number of said members bearing higher numbers not corresponding to the inverse order of the position in the alphabet of the letter thereon.

4. A set of playing members including a plurality of series of members, each series comprising a number of members, each bearing a different letter o! the alphabet conspicuously produced thereon, and a. number approximately corresponding to the inverse order of the position in the alphabet of the letter borne by said member, the members of each series bearing similarly colored identication marks on the front and on the back, the separateseries being distinguished by diierent colors, a small number of said members bearing numbers not corresponding to the inverse order of the position in the alphabet of the letter thereon.

5. A set of playing members including a plurality of series of members, .each series comprising a number of members, each bearing a. diierent letter of the alphabet conspicuously produced thereon, the members of each series bearing similarly colored identification marks on the front andon the back, the separate series being distinguished by dierent colors.

6. A set of playing members including a plurality of series of members, each series comprising a number of members, each bearing a different letter of the alphabet conspicuously produced thereon, and a number, the members of each lseries bearing similarly colored identification marks on the front and on the back, the separate series being distinguished by different colors, approximately half of the members of each series also bearing arbitrary symbols and approximately the other half of said members of each series bearing markings indicating the nature of a radio pl'Og'l'am.

' 7. A set of playing members including a plurality of series of members, each series comprising a number of members, each member bearing a dierent letter of the alphabet conspicuously produced thereon, and a number approximately corresponding to the inverse order of the position in the alphabet of the letter borne by said member, the members of each series bearing 40 

